Automatic Lighting System with Adaptive Alignment Function

ABSTRACT

An automatic lighting system for a vehicle includes a detection device, an illumination source and a control. The illumination source is directed generally forwardly with respect to a direction of travel of the vehicle, and has an adjustable principal axis of illumination. The detection device may be operable to determine a gaze direction of a driver or driving instructor of a vehicle or may detect a sign or other object of interest, such as a deer or pedestrian or the like, generally forwardly and sidewardly of the vehicle. The control is operable to adjust the principal axis of illumination of the illumination source in response to an output of the detection device so as to provide enhanced illumination at areas sideward and forward of the vehicle.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims the benefit of U.S. provisionalapplication Ser. No. 60/949,352, filed Jul. 12, 2007, which is herebyincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to vehicle lighting systems and,more particularly, to vehicle lighting systems that may control theheadlamps of the vehicle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Vehicle vision systems and/or vehicle headlamp control systems are knownand provide enhanced automatic control of the headlamps of a vehicle,typically in response to a detection of a threshold ambient light leveland/or a detection of light (such as headlamps of oncoming vehiclesand/or taillights of leading vehicles) in the region forward of thevehicle. Examples of such vision and/or headlamp control systems aredescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,877,897; 6,498,620; 5,670,935;5,796,094; 6,396,397; 6,806,452; 6,690,268; 7,005,974; 7,123,168;7,004,606; 6,946,978; 7,038,577; 6,353,392; 6,320,176; 6,313,454; and6,824,281, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference intheir entireties.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an automatic vehicle lighting system orlight control system with an adaptive alignment function. The lightcontrol system of the present invention is operable to control or adjustthe beam of a light of the vehicle (or of the headlamps or auxiliarylight of the vehicle) in response to a detection of a gaze direction orhead angle or pose or position of the head or eyes of the driver of thevehicle, so as to provide enhanced illumination in the direction thatthe driver is looking, such as toward road signs and/or the like alongthe road on which the vehicle is traveling.

Optionally, the light control system may be responsive to a detection ofa gaze direction of a driving instructor (typically seated in the frontpassenger seat of the vehicle during a driving instruction or test forthe person or student driving the vehicle). In such an application, thelight control system provides the driving instructor with a tool todirect the attention of the student in a way that does not force thedriver or student to look at the hand-pointing of the instructor, but atthe relevant object which is illuminated or highlighted by the automaticadaptively-aligned lighting system.

According to an aspect of the present invention, an automatic lightingsystem for a vehicle includes a gaze detection device operable todetermine a gaze direction of a driver or driving instructor or frontseat occupant of a vehicle, an illumination source and a control. Theillumination source is directed generally forwardly with respect to adirection of travel of the vehicle, and has an adjustable principal axisof illumination. The control is operable to adjust the principal axis ofillumination of the illumination source in response to an output of thegaze detection device. The control adjusts the principal axis ofillumination of the illumination source to direct illumination toward anarea where the driver or driving instructor or front seat occupant ofthe vehicle is looking.

Optionally, the gaze detection device may comprise an imaging device forcapturing images, with the imaging device having a field of viewdirected generally toward the head of a driver or driving instructor ofthe vehicle. An image processing device may process image data todetermine the gaze direction of the driver or driving instructor of thevehicle. Optionally, the automatic lighting system may be selectivelyenabled and disabled in response to a human-machine interface or othersystems or inputs. For example, such other systems may include anintelligent headlight system that detects other vehicles so that thehost vehicle's light does not shine at the eyes of the driver of anoncoming or leading vehicle, a Global Positioning System (GPS), aroadside information system, the internet, an intelligent transportationsystem or information system, a communication system, a telematicssystem, a navigation system or the like, that may provide or generate anoutput, whereby the automatic illumination system may control theadjusting or enabling of the adaptive alignment light in response tosuch an output. For example, some geographical locations orjurisdictions may forbid or limit such adaptively aligned lightedsystems, whereby it is envisioned that the automatic lighting system mayoverride the adaptive alignment control or otherwise not adjust or limitthe adjustment of the adaptive light when the vehicle is in suchlocations or jurisdictions (such as in response to an output of a globalpositioning system that is indicative of the vehicle being located at orin such a location or jurisdiction).

According to another aspect of the present invention, an automaticlighting system for a vehicle includes an imaging device for capturingimages, a control and an illumination source directed generallyforwardly with respect to the direction of travel of the vehicle. Theimaging device has a field of view directed generally forwardly withrespect to a direction of travel of the vehicle. The control is operableto process image data to determine if a sign, or other important objector object of interest (such as an object of interest to the driver orstudent or instructor), such as a deer or pedestrian or the like, ispresent generally forwardly and sidewardly of the vehicle as the vehicletravels along a road. The control is operable to adjust the illuminationsource in response to a detection of an object of interest (such as asign or person or animal or other object) generally forwardly andsidewardly of the vehicle, with the control adjusting the illuminationsource to direct illumination toward an area encompassing the detectedobject of interest when the object of interest is detected.

These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features of thepresent invention will become more apparent upon review of the followingspecification in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic of a vehicle and lighting system, showing that thevehicle headlamps may not substantially illuminate a sign at the side ofthe road as the vehicle travels along the road and approaches and passesthe sign;

FIG. 2 is a schematic of a vehicle and lighting system in accordancewith the present invention, showing an adjustment of illumination froman illumination source to provide enhanced illumination of a sign inresponse to the driver's or driving instructor's gaze direction or headdirection being angled or directed generally toward the sign; and

FIG. 3 is another schematic of another vehicle and lighting system inaccordance with the present invention, showing that the principal axisof illumination from the illumination source may be adjusted to accountfor the offset of the illumination source from the driver or drivinginstructor.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depictedtherein, an automatic lighting system or miner's lighting system 10 of avehicle 12 includes a gaze detection device 14, such as an imagingdevice or the like, that is operable to determine a gaze direction orhead angle or pose or position of the head or eyes of the driver ordriving instructor or occupant of the vehicle, and an illuminationsource 16 or “miner's light” that is operable or adjustable to provideillumination generally in the direction of the detected gaze or headangle A, so as to provide enhanced illumination of an area that thedriver or driving instructor of the vehicle is looking toward (FIGS. 1and 2). A control or image processor 18 may process the image data todetermine the gaze direction or line of sight A and may adjust theangled illumination source accordingly. For example, the illuminationsource 16 may provide a centrally located illumination source or lightor light emitting diode(s) (LED) or the like at a forward portion of thevehicle, and the illumination source may be pivotable or adjustable toadjust its principal axis of illumination toward either side of thevehicle and generally forwardly of the vehicle (and optionallyvertically), so as to provide enhanced illumination of a sign or object20 or the like located forwardly of the vehicle 12 and toward the sideof the vehicle as the vehicle travels along a road surface.

The gaze detection device 14 may comprise an imaging sensor or device,such as a pixelated imaging array having a plurality of photosensorsarranged in a two dimensional array on a semiconductor substrate, suchas a CMOS imaging array or the like. The imaging array may be locatedwithin the vehicle, such as in an interior rearview mirror of thevehicle or an accessory module of the vehicle or an overhead console ofthe vehicle, or steering wheel column of the vehicle or instrument panelof the vehicle or the like, with its field of view directed generallytoward a region of the interior cabin of the vehicle that is occupied byor encompasses a head of a typical or average sized driver of thevehicle (at the driver's seat of the vehicle) or driving instructor ofthe vehicle (typically at the front passenger seat of the vehicle).Optionally, other gaze detecting devices may be implemented whileremaining in the spirit and scope of the present invention. The controlor image processor processes the image data captured by the imagingdevice (such as via any suitable processing means, such as via edgedetection algorithms or biometric characteristicrecognition/identification algorithms or the like) to determine thedirection of the driver's or driving instructor's gaze, and adjusts oractivates the illumination source in response thereto.

Optionally, the gaze detection device may comprise a cellular telephonewith a camera or imaging sensor incorporated therein (or other personalcamera device). For example, a camera telephone may be mounted or dockedat the vehicle dashboard or interior mirror or elsewhere in the vehiclecabin with the camera directed toward the driver's head (or toward thehead of a driving instructor), whereby images captured by the camera maybe processed (by circuitry within the telephone or by vehicle-based ormirror-based circuitry or the like within the vehicle) to detect thedriver's or driving instructor's gaze direction and activate or controlthe adjustable light accordingly. Such a system may utilize any suitabletelephone or device incorporating a camera or image sensor, and mayutilize aspects of the imaging systems described in U.S. provisionalapplication Ser. No. 60/956,633, filed Aug. 17, 2007, which is herebyincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

In the illustrated embodiment, the illumination source 16 is generallycentrally located at a forward portion of the vehicle, and has itsprincipal axis or beam of illumination adjustable toward either side forproviding illumination at the targeted area or region at one side of thevehicle, such as at the right side of the vehicle off to the side of theroad on which the vehicle is traveling. The illumination source maycomprise any suitable illumination source, such as a light emittingdiode (LED) or the like, or may comprise one or both of the headlamps ofthe vehicle. The illumination source may be adjustable, such aspivotable about an axis, or may be adjustable by selectively enabling oractivating components, such as light emitting diodes or the like, todirect the illumination in the desired or targeted direction, or abaffle or light guiding element may be adjustably disposed in front ofthe illumination source and may be adjustable to adjust or guide theprincipal axis of illumination of the illumination source toward thetargeted region at or near the side of the vehicle. Optionally, theadjustable nature of such a light may be accomplished by enabling ordisabling or selectively activating/deactivating several individualcomponents, such as individual lighting elements or light sources, suchas individual ones of a plurality of or array of light emitting diodesdisposed at or near the front of the vehicle, such that such selectiveactivation and deactivation of the light sources results in anadjustment in the principal beam direction of the light sources (forexample, the individual light sources may be directed in differentdirections so that activation of some lights results in a beam of lightgenerally in one direction while activation of other lights results in abeam of light generally in another direction).

Optionally, the illumination source or sources may be verticallyadjustable as well as adjustable laterally or side-to-side. Optionally,the range of such adjustment may be limited in the vertical dimension byan intelligent headlight system that is operable to detect the presenceor absence of vehicles in the potential location of the adjustable“miner's light”. For example, when a vehicle is detected or present inthe desired or targeted “miner's light” direction (as determined by thegaze detection system), the light could be further adjusted downward orpartially disabled or limited in its upward adjustment so as to preventglaring light towards the driver or drivers of such other vehicle orvehicles detected ahead of the subject or host vehicle.

Optionally, the range of adjustability of the illumination source may belimited to only the right side of the vehicle (for vehicles that travelon the right side of the road) so as to limit directing the light towardoncoming or approaching traffic forwardly of and to the left of thecontrolled vehicle. In such applications, the adjustable illuminationsource may be located at or toward the right side of the vehicle, suchas at the front right portion of the vehicle or at the right sideportion of the vehicle, so as to be readily directed sidewardly towardthe right side of the road while leftward illumination is limited.Optionally, however, the range of adjustability may include movement ordirecting of light toward the left side of the vehicle, whereby suchleftward illumination may be limited to an upwardly directed angle, suchas, for example, an angle greater than 10 degrees above horizontal orthereabouts, so as to limit directing the light toward the eyes of thedrivers of the oncoming or approaching vehicles. The headlamps of thecontrolled vehicle remain in their forward angle or orientation toprovide the forward illumination of the road in front of the vehicle andare not affected by the adjustment of the illumination source.Optionally, however, the adjustable illumination source may beincorporated into the headlamp 22 (either as a separate illuminationsource at the headlamps or as an adjustable headlamp), while remainingwithin the spirit and scope of the present invention.

In situations or road conditions where the driver's or drivinginstructor's gaze moves back and forth repeatedly, the tracking of eyeor head gaze direction could cause excessive swinging or moving of thelight that may become annoying to the driver (or others in the vehicleor outside of the vehicle) and/or that may cause fatigue of the driveror driving instructor. Thus, it may be beneficial in such situations forthe driver or driving instructor to be able to selectively deactuate ordisable or limit the tracking and adjustment function of the presentinvention. Thus, it is envisioned that the miner's light or adjustablelighting function or system may be selectively or episodically activatedso that the illumination source is adjusted in certain situations andnot in others, such as in response to a user input or a control input orimage input or the like. For example, a user input or control button maybe provided at the steering wheel of the vehicle (or elsewhere in thevehicle, such as at the instrument panel or console or overhead consoleor mirror assembly or the like, where it may be readily accessible bythe driver or driving instructor of the vehicle), whereby the user ordriver or driving instructor may selectively actuate or enable anddeactuate or disable the illumination source or system and/or theadjustment function of the illumination source or system. Optionally,the enabling or disabling of the light alignment system of the presentinvention could be partial, with limits determined by the same systemsalso used for total enabling and total disabling of the system.Optionally, the system may be operable to adjust the miner's light onlywhen the gaze direction is generally maintained for a threshold periodof time (such as around one second or thereabouts) and the system maynot adjust the miner's light when the detected gaze direction is rapidlymoving and/or not directed toward an object of interest or the like.

Optionally, the user input to enable/disable the illumination system maycomprise other types of human-machine interface, such as, for example, amanual input or voice recognition system or the like. Optionally, theenablement/disablement function of the illumination system may be inresponse to a camera or imaging device that detects driver or drivinginstructor movements that are indicative of a situation where theillumination system should be disabled, such as a detection of repeatedblinking by the driver or driving instructor or predetermined headmovements by the driver or driving instructor or hand movements by thedriver or driving instructor or the like. Other user inputs orhuman-machine interfaces may be implemented to enable/disable/limit theadjustable illumination system while remaining within the spirit andscope of the present invention. For example, intelligent headlightsystems that detect vehicles in front of the host vehicle, GlobalPositioning Systems, roadside information systems or other informationsystems, the internet, intelligent transportation systems, communicationsystems or telematics systems or navigation systems (such as acommunication system or telematics system that receives a signal orinformation data from a remote source, such as a telematics system ornavigation system utilizing aspects of the systems described in U.S.Pat. No. 7,004,593; 6,678,614; 6,477,464; 6,690,268; and/or 7,167,796,which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties)or the like may also function to disable, enable, or partially enable orlimit the operation of the adjustable illumination system.

Optionally, because the illumination source and the driver's or drivinginstructor's eyes or head may be separated by a substantial distance,such as about two meters or thereabouts, it is envisioned that theadjusted angle of the principal axis of illumination 16 a may bedifferent than the angle of the gaze direction A, in order to accountfor the parallax of the sign or object of interest with respect to thedriver or driving instructor and the illumination source. As shown inFIG. 3, the control may determine the gaze direction and adjust thedirection of the illumination source to account for such parallax, sothat the illumination source provides enhanced illumination of the signor object or area at which the driver's or driving instructor's gaze isdirected. The system may detect a sign or object at or near the side ofthe road in the direction of the driver's gaze and may adjust theprincipal axis of illumination responsive to the gaze direction and adistance to the detected sign or object along the axis of the gazedirection.

Optionally, the automatic lighting system of the present invention maybe used in conjunction with an object recognition system (such as asystem operable to detect and/or recognize a sign, animal, such as alarge animal such as a deer or the like, pedestrian, or other object) orthe like of the vehicle (such as, for example, a sign recognition systemutilizing aspects of the systems described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,396,397;6,946,978 and/or 7,004,606, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/105,757, filed Apr. 14, 2005, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties). For example, the lighting system mayinclude an imaging device (such as a pixelated imaging array or the likeor such as a cellular phone with a camera that is mounted or docked inthe vehicle or any suitable imaging device or camera or the like) thathas a field of view directed generally forwardly with respect to thedirection of travel of the vehicle, and that captures images of thescene generally forwardly and/or toward a side of the vehicle, so as tocapture images of signs, or other important objects or objects ofinterest, along the road on which the vehicle is traveling. The controlmay process the image data to determine if a sign or other object ofinterest is present forwardly and/or sidewardly of the vehicle, and theillumination source (or principal beam of illumination) may beautomatically actuated or adjusted to at least briefly provideillumination of the sign or object of interest. The illumination sourcethus may automatically illuminate signs or other objects of interest atthe side of the road, such as to provide automatic illumination for thedriver's or driving instructor's enhanced viewing, or to provideenhanced illumination for an object recognition system of the vehicle(such as a system operable to detect and/or recognize or identify asign, animal or deer or pedestrian or the like) or the like. Theadjustment of the illumination source in response to image processing ofimage data captured by a forward facing camera may function inconjunction with or independently of the miner's light functiondescribed above.

For applications with an object recognition system, the imaging devicemay automatically capture at least one image of the object when theobject is illuminated by the illumination source, whereby the controlmay process the image data of the illuminated object to determine orrecognize characters on the sign, or important or identifiablecharacteristics of the detected object. For example, an objectrecognition system may function to determine the nature orclassification of a detected object by determining a size of thedetected object of interest, a shape of the detected object of interest,a distance to the detected object of interest, and/or a direction towardthe detected object of interest and/or the like. Optionally, the controlmay direct or adjust and flash the illumination source in response todetection of the object (and with the principal axis of the beam ofillumination being directed generally toward the detected sign orobject), whereby the imaging device may be synchronized with theflashing illumination source to capture one or more images of the objectduring the brief period of time that the sign or object area isilluminated. Optionally, the illumination source may comprise aninfrared or near infrared illumination source and the imaging device maybe sensitive to infrared or near infrared illumination, such that theillumination source may provide illumination of the sign or area in amanner that provides enhanced sensing by the imaging device withoutdistracting the driver of the vehicle. Optionally, the objectrecognition system may output to the driver with a human machineinterface modality, such as a visual display, warning light, audiodevice, or haptic system or the like, information about the detected andrecognized object. Such output or outputs may be enhanced beyond theoutput capabilities available in situations where the object is notadditionally illuminated by the adaptively-aligned illumination system.

Therefore, the present invention provides an automatic lighting systemthat provides enhanced illumination of a sign or important object orobject of interest (such as deer or pedestrians) area at a side of aroad or toward a side of a vehicle traveling along the road to enhancethe viewing by the driver and/or imaging device of signs and the like asthe vehicle travels along the road during night time or low lightingdriving conditions. The system may monitor the driver's or drivinginstructor's eyes or head position or orientation to determine a gazedirection and may adjust or activate an illumination source accordingly.The illumination system may be installed in the vehicle duringmanufacture of the vehicle or may be an aftermarket system. Optionally,the illumination source may provide low intensity light in the generaloff-road direction, while the headlamps provide higher intensity lightin the forward direction of travel of the vehicle. Optionally, theillumination source may provide a localized beam of light that isdirected toward a particular sign or point of interest or object ofinterest at or near the side of the road. Optionally, the lightingsystem of the present invention may be responsive to an input from asteering wheel angle sensor, so that the illumination source may beactivated or adjusted to illuminate a side region of the road inresponse to a detection of a turning of the steering wheel of thevehicle. Optionally, the lighting system of the present invention mayprovide a wider or taller beam pattern for enhanced illumination of thetargeted area or object, depending on or responsive to one or more ofthe inputs discussed above.

The present invention thus provides for enhanced lighting of signs andthe like at the side of the road and provides enhanced lighting of otherregions that are typically outside a typical headlight range andorientation of the headlights of the vehicle. The imaging device andcontrol and image processor and illumination source may comprise anysuitable components, and may utilize aspects of the vision systems ofthe text described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,877,897; 6,498,620;5,670,935; 5,796,094; 6,396,397; 6,806,452; 6,690,268; 7,005,974;7,123,168; 7,004,606; 6,946,978; 7,038,577; 6,353,392; 6,320,176;6,313,454; and 6,824,281, which are all hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties. The imaging device and/or control may bepart of or share components or circuitry with other image or imaging orvision systems of the vehicle, such as headlamp control systems and/orrain sensing systems and/or cabin monitoring systems and/or the like.

Changes and modifications to the specifically described embodiments maybe carried out without departing from the principles of the presentinvention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of theappended claims as interpreted according to the principles of patent lawincluding the doctrine of equivalents.

1. An automatic lighting system for a vehicle, said automatic lightingsystem comprising: a gaze detection device operable to determine a gazedirection of a driver or driving instructor of a vehicle; anillumination source directed generally forwardly with respect to adirection of travel of the vehicle, said illumination source having anadjustable principal axis of illumination; and a control operable toadjust said principal axis of illumination of said illumination sourcein response to an output of said gaze detection device, said controladjusting said principal axis of illumination of said illuminationsource to direct illumination toward an area where the driver or drivinginstructor of the vehicle is looking.
 2. The automatic lighting systemof claim 1, wherein said area is generally forwardly and sidewardly ofthe vehicle.
 3. The automatic lighting system of claim 1, wherein saidgaze detection device comprises an imaging device for capturing images,said imaging device having a field of view directed generally toward thehead of a driver or driving instructor of the vehicle, wherein an imageprocessing device processes image data to determine the gaze directionof the driver or driving instructor of the vehicle.
 4. The automaticlighting system of claim 1, wherein said illumination source isgenerally centrally located at a forward portion of the vehicle.
 5. Theautomatic lighting system of claim 1, wherein said automatic lightingsystem is selectively enabled, disabled or partially enabled in responseto an output of at least one of (a) a human-machine interface, (b) anintelligent headlight system which detects vehicles in front of the hostvehicle, (c) a Global Positioning System, (d) a roadside informationsystem, (e) the internet, (f) an intelligent transportation system, (g)a communication system, (h) a telematics system, and (i) a navigationsystem.
 6. The automatic lighting system of claim 1, wherein saidcontrol is operable to adjust said principal axis of illumination ofsaid illumination source in a horizontal direction and a verticaldirection.
 7. An automatic lighting system for a vehicle, said automaticlighting system comprising: an imaging device for capturing images, saidimaging device having a field of view directed generally forwardly withrespect to a direction of travel of the vehicle; a control operable toprocess image data to determine if an object of interest is presentgenerally forwardly and sidewardly of the vehicle as the vehicle travelsalong a road; an illumination source directed generally forwardly withrespect to the direction of travel of the vehicle; and wherein saidcontrol is operable to adjust said illumination source in response to adetection of an object of interest generally forwardly and sidewardly ofthe vehicle, said control adjusting said illumination source to directillumination toward an area encompassing the detected object of interestwhen the object of interest is detected.
 8. The automatic lightingsystem of claim 7, wherein said imaging device captures at least oneimage of the object of interest when the object of interest isilluminated by said illumination source, and wherein said controlprocesses image data to determine or recognize characteristics of thedetected object of interest.
 9. The automatic lighting system of claim8, wherein the detected object of interest comprises a sign and whereinsaid control processes image data to determine or recognize characterson the sign.
 10. The automatic lighting system of claim 8, wherein saidcontrol processes image data to determine or recognize relevant aspectsof the detected object of interest including at least one of (a) a sizeof the detected object of interest, (b) a shape of the detected objectof interest, (c) a distance to the detected object of interest, and (d)a direction toward the detected object of interest.
 11. The automaticlighting system of claim 7, wherein said illumination source has anadjustable principal axis of illumination, and wherein said control isoperable to adjust said principal axis of illumination of saidillumination source in response to the detection of the object ofinterest, said control adjusting said principal axis of illumination ofsaid illumination source to direct illumination toward an areaencompassing the detected object of interest.
 12. The automatic lightingsystem of claim 11, wherein said control is operable to adjust saidprincipal axis of illumination of said illumination source in ahorizontal direction and a vertical direction.
 13. The automaticlighting system of claim 7, wherein said control flashes saidillumination source in response to detection of the object of interest.14. The automatic lighting system of claim 7, wherein said automaticlighting system is selectively enabled and disabled in response to anoutput of at least one of (a) a human-machine interface, (b) anintelligent headlight system which detects vehicles in front of the hostvehicle, (c) a Global Positioning System, (d) a roadside informationsystem, (e) the internet, (f) an intelligent transportation system, (g)a communication system, (h) a telematics system, and (i) a navigationsystem.
 15. An automatic lighting system for a vehicle, said automaticlighting system comprising: a gaze detection device operable todetermine a gaze direction of a driver or driving instructor of avehicle, wherein said gaze detection device comprises an imaging devicefor capturing images, said imaging device having a field of viewdirected generally toward the head of a driver or driving instructor ofthe vehicle, wherein an image processing device processes image data todetermine the gaze direction of the driver or driving instructor of thevehicle; an illumination source directed generally forwardly withrespect to a direction of travel of the vehicle, said illuminationsource having an adjustable principal axis of illumination; and acontrol operable to adjust said principal axis of illumination of saidillumination source in response to an output of said gaze detectiondevice, said control adjusting said principal axis of illumination ofsaid illumination source to direct illumination toward an area where thedriver or driving instructor of the vehicle is looking, wherein saidarea is generally forwardly and sidewardly of the vehicle.
 16. Theautomatic lighting system of claim 15, wherein said automatic lightingsystem is selectively enabled, disabled or partially enabled in responseto an output of at least one of (a) a human-machine interface, (b) anintelligent headlight system which detects vehicles in front of the hostvehicle, (c) a Global Positioning System, (d) a roadside informationsystem, (e) the internet, (f) an intelligent transportation system, (g)a communication system, (h) a telematics system, and (i) a navigationsystem.
 17. The automatic lighting system of claim 15, wherein saidcontrol is operable to adjust said principal axis of illumination ofsaid illumination source in a horizontal direction and a verticaldirection.
 18. The automatic lighting system of claim 15 furthercomprising a second imaging device for capturing images, said secondimaging device having a field of view directed generally forwardly withrespect to a direction of travel of the vehicle, wherein said control isoperable to process image data to determine if an object of interest ispresent generally forwardly and sidewardly of the vehicle as the vehicletravels along a road, and wherein said control is operable to adjustsaid illumination source in response to a detection of an object ofinterest within said field of view of said second imaging device, saidcontrol adjusting said illumination source to direct illumination towardan area encompassing the detected object of interest when the object ofinterest is detected.
 19. The automatic lighting system of claim 18,wherein said imaging device captures at least one image of the object ofinterest when the object of interest is illuminated by said illuminationsource, and wherein said control processes image data to determine orrecognize characteristics of the detected object of interest.